Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FORMULA BUFFALO
Call it an indigenous take on the Grand Prix. Kambla, or traditional buffalo racing, is a hugely popular pastime
among villagers along the southern Karnataka coast. Popularised in the early 20th century and born out of local
farmers habitually racing their buffaloes home after a day in the fields, the races have now hit the big time. Thou-
sands of spectators attend each edition, and racing buffaloes are pampered and prepared like thoroughbreds.
Kambla events are held between November and March, usually on weekends. Parallel tracks are laid out in a
paddy field, along which buffaloes hurtle towards the finish line. In most cases the man rides on a board fixed to a
ploughshare, literally surfing his way down the track behind the beasts.
Keep your cameras ready, but don't even think of getting in the buffaloes' way to take that prize-winning
photo. The faster creatures can cover the 120m-odd distance through water and mud in around 14 seconds!
TOP OF CHAPTER
Udupi (Udipi)
0820
Udupi is a buzzing yet relaxed pilgrim town that's home to the atmospheric 13th-century
grims through the year. Surrounded by eight
maths
(monasteries), it's a hive of ritual
activity, with musicians playing at the entrance, elephants on hand for
puja,
and pilgrims
constantly passing through. Non-Hindus are welcome inside the temple; men must enter
bare-chested. Elaborate rituals are also performed in the temple during the
Udupi Paryaya
festival
(Udupi; Jan)
(held every even year) in which outgoing swamiji of each of the eight
math
transfer duties to new swamiji.
There are several pilgrim hotels near the temple including
Shri Vidyasamuda Choultry
(
2520820; Car St; r ?150)
, but they're often booked out. The smartest choice is
Hotel Sriram Residen-
cy
( 2530761;
www.hotelsriramresidency.com
;
r with fan/AC ?780/1445)
with a fantastic upstairs
restaurant-bar.
Udupi is famed for its vegetarian food, and recognised across India for its sumptuous
thali; it's also the birthplace of the humble dosa. A good place to sample the local fare is
the subterranean
Woodlands
(Dr UR Rao Complex; mains ?60-90;
8am-9.30pm)
, a short walk south
of the temple.
ICICI
(Car St)
has an ATM near the temple.
Udupi is 58km north of Mangalore along the coast; regular buses ply the route (?75, 1½
hours). Buses also head to Gokarna (?170, six hours) and Bengaluru (?350/500/720, 10
hours). Regular buses head to Malpe (?7).
